I've been delinquent in not sharing "my favorite yard" with y'all. It is not
far from where I live and is simply loaded with Forwardlook cars. I mean to
tell you there may be close to 100 in total in the yard. This place has had
very little inventory added since the early '70s and is owned/run by the
grandson of the original owner and he is near 60 yrs. There is some
association, I think, between a long-gone nearby (Boerne, TX)
Plymouth-DeSoto dealership and this yard but those answers never seem real
clear. There was also a Chrysler-Plym dealer in San Antonio by this same
family name but he says it is unrelated.
But you just want to know where it is and how to get there and what the
inventory consists of and how he is to deal with and whether you pick the
bones yourself and the condition of the cars and of course whether the
prices are fair.
John Spencer, Mgr.
Spencer's Auto Parts and Used Cars
P.O. Box 392
IH-10 3 miles south of Comfort
512-995-2363
(That is what is on the business card.)
General location is about 40 miles west of San Antonio, TX, on the north
side of Interstate 10. The yard sits buried in red mountain cedar trees
visible from I-10 on that north side. Coming west on I-10 the exit is
immediate when you spot the yard's small (3' x 5') orange and black
deteriorating sign. Coming east on I-10, get off at the second Comfort, TX,
exit and follow the frontage road paralleling the S. side of the interstate
until you reach a bridge that drops you 200' from Spencer's gate. I'm
serious about the trees: I take a chain saw in there and wear heavy boots.
ASK for permission to use the saw and be decent about piling branches out of
everyone's way!
The inventory is everything from '55 Plymouths to a '61 DeSoto sedan (little
left). There are NO convertibles from the forward look years. This general
area of Texas was quite poor 40-50 years ago so most models are low-end
sedans and wagons, some 4dr hardtops and just a few 2drs. Probably the real
top line car is a '58 Fury which is stripped of almost anything valuable.
There are several dozen (no kidding) of '57-58 Plymouths and DeSotos and a
very good representation of Dodges and a small handful of Chryslers and
Imperials. Almost all the hemi and poly motors were pulled out by an old
hot-rodder in San Antonio during 2001. There is a '55 DeSoto sedan with a
partial hemi and super rare overdrive in this yard. Not much in accessories
although there is quite a bit of air conditioning parts to be found.
Most cars are well "Texas sun-burned" meaning the paint fried off of them
from the intense summer sun. Cars that ended up here from the north or from
Houston and east do have some rust. Overall, this is still far better than
a yard anywhere North or East of here.
John Spencer, like any old junk yarder, has a somewhat gruff appearance and
is a little on the quiet side. BUT, you be totally fair and honest and
upfront and patient with this man and you will find he has a heart of gold
and is uncommonly fair with his prices and will help you find something. If
you act smart, can't relate to local country ways, take advantage of him or
hide some parts under your seat, he will know it and run you off with a
rifle (this IS Texas!) after soaking you on price. ALWAYS talk to John
FIRST before searching out parts. You need his directions as to where your
cars of interest are because this place is a MAZE.
Yes, you pull your own parts. Safety is somewhat of a concern. March/April
is when our rattlesnakes are out slithering everywhere but I have never seen
so much as a skin in the yard. On humid days, the hubcap pile area and
lower yard (it goes uphill) can be very heavy with mosquitoes. If you are
here during the summer, bring lots of Gatorade and water and a hat as it
will be 100o and you will be working so hard you will be subject to heat
stroke. Bring your lunch or go to the D&D restaurant in Comfort when you
are done. EMS services would have a heck of a time finding you if you have
a jacking or chain saw accident. The ground is very rocky with soft clay.
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES should you light a cigarette or torch in this yard.
Ask John if you must have torch help and he will stand there with you.
Catching the grasses and cedar trees on fire would wipe out this gold mine
and John's adjacent residence in less than two hours. DO NOT go to John's
house ever. He either has the gate open and is in the old office building
or the gate is closed and you are out of luck that day.
What limits this yard is that John is ONLY OPEN on Saturdays from about 9:30
(sometimes 9am) to about 3pm (sometimes 4pm). And that is if John does not
have a doctor's appointment or a family thing. He has a cordless phone with
a limited range and does not usually carry it with him. In other words,
there is no guarantee that he is there on a particular Saturday but you can
try the phone number.
CASH ONLY. Yes, you can drive into the yard and the "roads" have cedar
branches scraping your car if you don't cut them back.
Lots of other brands in the '50s and lots of everything in the '60s. John
just bought a '56 Fireflite green 4dr sedan for himself. Don't touch it!
And don't touch the '58 Fireflite black wagon that he sold to someone 8 or
10 years ago and he is still holding the car for the guy to come back!
Everything else is for sale. One of these years very soon a developer will
purchase this property and it will be gone like a Gulf Coast Hurricane.
You can ask me about specific years and body styles and I'll try to give an
answer. In MOST cases I can't identify them all by model name.
If I get lots of reply e-mail questions, I may try to give some generalized
answers to the whole list rather than get back to everyone individually.
I'm housebound with a broken leg for a while but will help you as best I
can.
Enjoy! and again, TREAT JOHN RIGHT and he will do the same for you.
Wayne Graefen
Kerrville, TX
PS. There are two '60 Mercurys in the yard and that is what I am currently
building (I have a Colony Park wagon) I'd appreciate it if you would leave
those two Mercurys alone!!
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